lottery

/ˈlɒtərɪ/

noun (pl) -teries

1.

a method of raising money by selling numbered tickets and giving a proportion of the money raised to holders of numbers drawn at random

2.

a similar method of raising money in which players select a small group of numbers out of a larger group printed on a ticket. If a player's selection matches some or all of the numbers drawn at random the player wins a proportion of the prize fund

3.

an activity or endeavour the success of which is regarded as a matter of fate or luck

1560s, "arrangement for a distribution of prizes by chance," from Italian lotteria, from lotto "lot, portion, share," from same root as Old English hlot (see lot). Cf. Middle French loterie, from Middle Dutch loterje, from lot (n.).